Von Batten-Montague-York takes Tinubu allegations to US Congress

The Washington-based lobbying firm Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C. has escalated allegations regarding President Bola Tinubu, claiming to have briefed members of the United States Congress on historical heroin trafficking allegations from the 1980s and 1990s. The firm stated that these issues, linked to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) case, could impact US national security and foreign policy cooperation.

Von Batten-Montague-York further alleged that an individual connected to President Tinubu offered $3 million to cease the campaign regarding these records. The firm expressed intentions to submit this alleged offer to the FBI and the Department of Justice.

The Nigerian Presidency has dismissed these claims as politically motivated. Special Adviser Sunday Dare criticized the firm’s founder, Karl Von Batten, and accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of using the firm to seek foreign support for the 2027 elections. The Presidency also questioned the authenticity of a 2003 letter purportedly clearing Tinubu of US criminal records, citing numerous grammatical and spelling errors within the document.